


Falling in the deep

by capeofstorm



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Male-Female Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-08
Updated: 2012-07-08
Packaged: 2017-11-09 11:15:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/454827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/capeofstorm/pseuds/capeofstorm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hermione says farewell to Hogwarts and gains a new prospective friend in the process.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Falling in the deep

She was going to say farewell to the school, to the seven – technically eight – years she has spent here. It was the first place she made friends, first place she fell in love, first place where she fought for her life. Hogwarts held a lot of her firsts, some happy, others not so happy.

She walked around the corridors of Hogwarts, her hand trailing behind, caressing the rough stone as she navigated the castle. She nodded and smiled at the student she passed from time to time, blushing at their attention. Her last year was interesting – people started treating her different when they learned of her role in helping Harry defeat Voldemort. She still wasn’t sure if the job offer from Law Enforcement Department was given to her due to her accomplishments and grades or her role in helping Harry and rebuilding Hogwarts.

She made her way outside of the castle and breathed in the fresh air. She closed her eyes, feeling the rare Scottish sun caress her skin. She walked down to her favourite spot by the lake and sat down, not caring about her graduation robes getting dirty. The first years were prodding the Giant Squid who basked in the sun on the shore. They would come close to it, poke it and scatter away, laughing and screaming in delight as the Squid reached for them.

She closed her eyes as she remembered the battle that took place here not longer than a year ago. It was a picture of carnage and despair, such a stark contrast to the happy place that it was now. But then again many things changed during that year. She and the boys parted their ways – Harry went on to Auror Academy, having his NEWTs requirements wavered, while Ron decided to help George with the joke shop. She and Ron had drifted apart once the initial rush of emotions after the battle had died down. It wasn’t easy for them to part, both of them being so sure they would be together forever, not wanting to acknowledge that reality didn’t always work out that way.

Helping with restoring Hogwarts and studying for her NEWTs were the only things that kept her sane after she and Ron had broken up. Harry refused to take sides but then again they didn’t spend that much time together nowadays. She would work herself into exhaustion with either school work or restoring the Tower as it was the only way to ensure she wouldn’t dream about the war, about what happened to her in the Malfoy Manor.

She felt the sunlight disappear and opened her eyes to see Draco Malfoy standing in front of her. His return to school shouldn’t have surprised her as much as it did. He kept a low profile throughout the year, barely speaking to anyone, studying and helping with the rebuilding of Hogwarts. She saw him tend to unused parts of the castle during nights she couldn’t sleep. It seemed that Draco Malfoy had the same coping mechanism as she did.

“Granger.”

“Malfoy.”

He gestured at the ground beside her.

“Mind if I sit?”

She shrugged her shoulders and watched him as he lowered himself to the ground gracefully, mindful of his robes. They sat in silence for a while, looking at the lake. Draco spoke just as the silence started growing awkward.

“I wanted to apologise to you.”

She turned to look at him, her eyebrows raised in surprise.

“Whatever for?”

His jaw clenched, his eyes closed as if he was trying to distance himself from something only he was seeing.

“That day in the Manor. I just stood there, watching her torture you.”

Hermione looked away, unable to hide the tensing of her shoulders. She pulled her robe tighter around herself.

“You couldn’t do anything, I know that. You had to think of your family.”

“Nevertheless, I’m sorry, Granger.”

She nodded her head, unable to look at him. She heard him sigh at her reaction but he refrained from commenting.

“What are you planning to do now?”

His question surprised her. She didn’t think they’d ever have a civil conversation but then again she never thought that she’d fight in a war, either. She relaxed her posture and leaned back on her hands.

“I got a job offer from Magical Law Enforcement. I guess that’s what I’ll be doing.”

“I always pegged you for a university type.”

She shrugged, the robe falling off her shoulder, exposing her T-shirt underneath.

“I might do that. Have the whole summer to decide. What about you?”

Malfoy leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees.

“I’m staying here, helping out with rebuilding. I’m still under house arrest, McGonagall managed to convince the Ministry that Hogwarts was the right place for me to be.”

Silence fell between them again, but this time it felt more companionable. They watched the firsties get bored of taunting the Squid and deciding to explore the close parts of the Forbidden Forest. Hermione felt like she should be stopping them but she decided not to. They were no longer her responsibility.

“So you’re staying here for the summer?”

Malfoy nodded, his fingers playing with a blade of grass.

“Yes. Won’t be able to live with my parents until I’m twenty-one, another stipulation from the Ministry.”

“At least the castle won’t be that empty this summer with the restorations going on.”

“True. Are you going to stay and help?”

Hermione turned to look at him. He was observing her closely, his expression open and curious. She realised with a start that she’s never been so close to him before, it was unsettling to see that he was just as human as she was. Bloodshot grey eyes, wind tousled blond hair, blotchy skin – Draco Malfoy wasn’t as perfect as he always tried to look and that knowledge was what made her smile at him. Her entire view of who Draco Malfoy was changed in that minute.

“I will drop by from time to time.”

“Would you – would you mind if I wrote to you over the summer?”

His question surprised her and he chuckled at her expression.

“I was wrong about you, Granger. I’d like to get to know you better.”

She worried her bottom lip between her teeth. She thought of how Harry and Ron would react to this news before she realised that they didn’t need to know every single detail of her life. They started drifting apart and she could do with more friends.

“Sure, Malfoy, why not.”

They smiled at one another and looked back at the lake.


End file.
